Reaffirming the Environment-Development Nexus of UNCED 1992

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Ch a p t e r Fi v eTHE EFFORTS TO INCLUDEDEVELOPMENT ISSUES IN AGENDA 21For the third PrepCom meeting in Geneva (12 August-4 September1991) the UNCED Secretariat prepared background papers ondevelopment issues, in line with the General Assembly resolutioncalling for development issues to be integrated in the Conferencediscussions. Among these were Poverty and environmentaldegradation (A/CONF.151/PC/45), The relationship betweendemographic trends, economic growth, unsustainable consumptionpatterns and environmental degradation (PC/46), The internationaleconomy and environment and development (PC/47), Progressreport on financial resources (PC/51), and Report on transfer oftechnology (PC/53).The paper on international economy was significant in reviewingrecent global trends that had impacted negatively on developingcountries. For example, it showed that the drastic deterioration inthe terms of trade of developing countries had caused them to loselarge amounts of resources. For Sub-Sahara Africa, the terms of tradein 1989 had fallen by 28% compared to 1980, causing the countries inthe region to lose US$16 billion in 1989, or 9.1% of their GDP. Fifteenmiddle-income developing countries had also suffered significantfalls in terms of trade between 1980 and 1989, causing them to lose$45 billion in 1989, or 5.6% of their GDP value. The report alsoexamined the net financial transfer of resources from developingcountries, noting that the high foreign debt and debt servicing of19
many developing countries together with the losses from terms-oftradedecline caused a huge flow of resources from developing todeveloped countries.The report was also critical of structural adjustment policies thatinternational financial institutions attach as conditions for indebtedcountries. The report states: “In general, the response to situationsof financial stringency is likely to involve predominantly policiesaiming at generating cash flow immediately and at meeting pressingcurrent needs even if it compromises the future. Such orientation isclearly incompatible with the concern fundamental to sustainabledevelopment of preserving the ability to produce in the future.”It also elaborated that structural adjustment policies affect sustainabledevelopment through three processes: pressure to increase exportvolume and income exploits renewable resources unsustainably;cuts in investments lead to deterioration of productivity and highernatural resource use; and deteriorating employment situation leads toincreased poverty which in turn leads to environmental degradation.The paper calls on the PrepCom to “consider how these adverseimpacts could be mitigated”.The Third PrepCom meeting (PrepCom 3) was a turning point inintegrating development concerns into UNCED. The NGOs from theSouth played a very significant part in highlighting the importanceof development issues (such as debt, low commodity prices, terms oftrade, North-South imbalances in international economic relations,and poverty) and their relevance in the fair and equitable resolutionof global environmental problems. They raised these issues inopen workshops and forums open to both NGOs and diplomats;they conducted spirited debates with environmental NGOs of theNorth, which through this process became more conscious of thedevelopment-environment links; they spoke on these issues at theofficial open plenaries where all delegations and NGOs could be20
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Page 10 and 11: and his social contract with his fe
Page 12 and 13: Secondly, the North as a whole was
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Page 20 and 21: Ch a p t e r Th r e eINTEGRATION OF
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Page 24 and 25: the environment. It reaffirmed the
Page 28 and 29: present; and they lobbied governmen
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Page 34 and 35: The decision also stated that Agend
Page 36 and 37: development through trade; (B) clar
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Reaffirming the Environment-Development Nexus of UNCED 1992

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